Fun Facts – Willow River – Part 2

1. Willow River was a railroad town. In the 1890s, six passenger trains stopped in the village each day, and freight trains passed through every two hours. In 1894, the village council, disgusted by the horrible speed of these trains, issued a railroad speed limit of six miles per hour. 

2. The Willow River Fire Department began in 1892 with Henry Akin and John Schocks as the first members of the fire department committee. In 1894, the village purchased the “Little Giant” a hand-powered, two-man pumping machine for $390. Henry McCarthy earned $5 a month for cleaning and repairing this little pump. 

3. Joseph and Josephine Bocheck, along with Josephine's brother Edward Halva, arrived in Willow River in 1902. They purchased the Stekl Confectionery and decided to focus on general merchandise instead of candy. Their new business became the Willow River Mercantile, which is still operating today. 

4. Ernie Nevers, famous professional football and baseball player, was born in Willow River in 1903. 

5. Willow River had three hotels in 1905: the Willow River House, the Glen Hotel, and the Pine Hotel. 

6. Dr. William C. Ehmke came to Willow River in 1906 to practice medicine for the Atwood Lumber Company. His first office was located in the Glen Hotel. Dr. Ehmke charged only 50 cents for a house call or $2 if he had to come at night, but he always accepted food or cordwood in place of cash. He practiced medicine until he passed away on May 9, 1948. 

7. The Atwood Lumber Company, which bought out the Fox-Wisdom Lumber Company in 1895, left Willow River in 1908 to move to Park Falls, Wisconsin. Some oldtimers noted that half the village's population moved with the company. 

8. St. Mary's Catholic Church of Willow River was incorporated on September 3, 1907, with D.H. Driscoll and Joseph Zwicki as the first trustees. Local Catholics were pleased that they no longer had to travel to Sturgeon Lake to attend Mass. 

9. Willow River's newspaper, The Pine County Farmer, was first published on February 14, 1912. Editor Emory B. Linsley covered local news as well as national events, and George Cunningham, owner of the Cunningham Mercantile Company, contributed a large ad and an impassioned editorial every week. The newspaper ceased publication in 1926. 

10. In February of 1914, Willow River received telephone service. The first telephone operator was Ethel Sherrick. On Sunday evening, December 30, 1915, the Willow River Mercantile and Joswiak's general store were first illuminated by electric lights. 

Source: Willow River: Flowing Through the Century edited by Coral Popowitz

 The Willow River Depot

The Willow River Mercantile